UN and Arab League in talks to send observer mission to Syria

The failure of the Security Council to speak with one voice to end the bloodshed in Syria has had disastrous consequences.

That's what UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon told the Security Council on Wednesday.

Last Saturday, a Security Council resolution condemning the violence in Syria and calling for Syrian President Bashar al-Assad to step down was vetoed by Russia and China.

Violence has since escalated in Syria with heavy weapons firing into civilian neighbourhoods in Homs, Ban says.

He described these brutal attacks as "appalling" and a "grim harbinger of worse to come."

"Such violence is unacceptable before humanity. How many deaths will it take to halt this dangerous slide toward civil war and sectarian strife. At this moment of such grave consequence, it is more urgent than ever to find common ground. We have heard too many broken promises, even within the past 24 hours.I am convinced that the deteriorating situation in Syria will not leave the rest of the region untouched."

Mr. Ban Ki-moon has been in talks with the Arab League to send a joint observer mission to Syria, including a joint special envoy to stop killings and begin political negotiations.